Genetic analysis of human rotavirus C: The appearance of Indian–Bangladeshi strain in Far East Asian countries

Rotaviruses C (RVCs) circulate worldwide as an enteric pathogen in both humans and animals. Most studies of their genetic diversity focus on the VP7 and VP4 genes, but the complete genomes of 18 human RVCs have been described in independent studies. The genetic background of the Far East Asian RVCs is different than other human RVCs that were found in India and Bangladesh. Recently, a RVC detected in 2010 in South Korea had genetic background similar to the Indian–Bangladeshi RVCs. This study was undertaken to determine the whole genome of eight Japanese RVCs detected in 2005–2012, and to compare them with other human and animal global RVCs to better understand the genetic background of contemporary Far East Asian RVC. By phylogenetic analysis, the human RVCs appeared to be distinct from animal RVCs. Among human RVCs, three lineage constellations had prolonged circulation. The genetic background of the Far East Asian RVC was distinguished from Indian–Bangladeshi RVC as reported earlier. However, we found one Japanese RVC in 2012 that carried the genetic background of Indian–Bangladeshi RVC, whereas the remaining seven Japanese RVCs carried the typical genetic background of Far East Asian RVC. This is the first report of the Indian–Bangladeshi RVC in Japan. With that observation and the reassortment event of human RVCs in Hungary, our study indicates that the RVCs are spreading from one region to another. •The whole genome of 8 Japanese rotaviruses C (RVCs) between 2005 and 2012 were determined.•Among human RVCs, there was the prolonged co-circulation of three different RVCs according to geographic regions•Interestingly, we found the one Japanese RVC in 2012 carried the genetic background of Indian-Bangladeshi strain•This is the first report about the appearance of Indian-Bangladeshi RVC in Japan.•The RVCs were beginning to spread from one region to another.